Common Questions About Therapy:
What is therapy about?
Psychotherapy is about alleviating emotional pain, achieving behavioral change, fostering wellness and improving communication skills across our relationships. In order to accomplish therapeutic success, the forming of a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship is vital; this relationship encourages and fosters both growth and change. My approach is centered on creating a collaborative and interactive therapeutic setting. In this environment, individuals and couples are helped to identify the changes they would like to make and learn new ways of addressing life's complexities.
What can I expect at our first meeting?
Our first meeting will begin with my asking you about the issues that have led you to seek therapy. We will discuss many details of your life in order to help me begin to develop an understanding of who you are and any specific issues which you wish to focus on. Since choosing a therapist is an important and often difficult decision, I will encourage you to share any questions or concerns you might have about me and my approach. We will then come to an understanding of your main concerns and goals, clarify your options, and come up with an initial therapy plan.
Setting goals:
Therapy goals are tailored to each individual or couple. Because of this, goals may be brief and focused, or long-term and more depth-oriented. Often therapy begins by focusing on relieving more pressing emotional distress, such as depression, anxiety, anger, or hopelessness. Sometimes, the initial focus of treatment will be specific troubling behaviors, such as addictions, procrastination, avoidance and conflict. From there, therapy may evolve into larger and or deeper issues aimed at producing a more significant sense of change in oneself, and more satisfying relationships with others.
What if I don't have clear goals?
Having only a vague sense of needing to change "something" is actually a common situation at the beginning of the therapy process. Sometimes, this sense of a need for change, may lead to therapy only after having tried various alternatives, but not achieving the change you desire. Therapy recognizes that change can be difficult and emotionally upsetting at times. Therapy can be helpful when we feel unable to alleviate the negative concerns or conflicts in our lives despite our best efforts or intentions. Consequently, not having a clear goal as you begin therapy should not discourage you from giving therapy a try.
How long should I expect therapy to last?
The length of therapy will vary from person to person depending on a number of factors. For example, the specific goals you want to accomplish or the severity of an existing conflict can all affect the length and frequency of therapy. I am trained in both brief and time-limited (goal focused) counseling, as well as longer, more depth-oriented psychotherapy work aimed at changing longstanding personality patterns and creating a deeper self-awareness.
Tele-therapy (Video Based) Sessions:
Tele-therapy may be a way of connecting for therapy sessions as long as you are a resident of California. Tele-therapy may be a beneficial alternative to office based sessions if you are traveling for business or working remotely. If tele-therapy is appropriate to your particular circumstances, I am able to provide live video sessions via a secure connection. It is simple and does not require a login or account setup.
What is therapy about?
Psychotherapy is about alleviating emotional pain, achieving behavioral change, fostering wellness and improving communication skills across our relationships. In order to accomplish therapeutic success, the forming of a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship is vital; this relationship encourages and fosters both growth and change. My approach is centered on creating a collaborative and interactive therapeutic setting. In this environment, individuals and couples are helped to identify the changes they would like to make and learn new ways of addressing life's complexities.
What can I expect at our first meeting?
Our first meeting will begin with my asking you about the issues that have led you to seek therapy. We will discuss many details of your life in order to help me begin to develop an understanding of who you are and any specific issues which you wish to focus on. Since choosing a therapist is an important and often difficult decision, I will encourage you to share any questions or concerns you might have about me and my approach. We will then come to an understanding of your main concerns and goals, clarify your options, and come up with an initial therapy plan.
Setting goals:
Therapy goals are tailored to each individual or couple. Because of this, goals may be brief and focused, or long-term and more depth-oriented. Often therapy begins by focusing on relieving more pressing emotional distress, such as depression, anxiety, anger, or hopelessness. Sometimes, the initial focus of treatment will be specific troubling behaviors, such as addictions, procrastination, avoidance and conflict. From there, therapy may evolve into larger and or deeper issues aimed at producing a more significant sense of change in oneself, and more satisfying relationships with others.
What if I don't have clear goals?
Having only a vague sense of needing to change "something" is actually a common situation at the beginning of the therapy process. Sometimes, this sense of a need for change, may lead to therapy only after having tried various alternatives, but not achieving the change you desire. Therapy recognizes that change can be difficult and emotionally upsetting at times. Therapy can be helpful when we feel unable to alleviate the negative concerns or conflicts in our lives despite our best efforts or intentions. Consequently, not having a clear goal as you begin therapy should not discourage you from giving therapy a try.
How long should I expect therapy to last?
The length of therapy will vary from person to person depending on a number of factors. For example, the specific goals you want to accomplish or the severity of an existing conflict can all affect the length and frequency of therapy. I am trained in both brief and time-limited (goal focused) counseling, as well as longer, more depth-oriented psychotherapy work aimed at changing longstanding personality patterns and creating a deeper self-awareness.
Tele-therapy (Video Based) Sessions:
Tele-therapy may be a way of connecting for therapy sessions as long as you are a resident of California. Tele-therapy may be a beneficial alternative to office based sessions if you are traveling for business or working remotely. If tele-therapy is appropriate to your particular circumstances, I am able to provide live video sessions via a secure connection. It is simple and does not require a login or account setup.